PACS may also be referred to as :

Tips for buying PACS

Buyers of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems
(PACS) may need to provide assistance to physicians in adapting to
soft-copy images and reports. Some physicians may resist reading reports
and reviewing images on monitors, preferring tangible recording of data.

Suppliers of PACS are
responsible for supporting users in the following methods: 24/7 telephone
support, on-site support within one day, training upon installation,
remote system monitoring, and remote system updates.

PACS Suppliers offer many
software features that add functionality to the systems. In general, a Picture Archiving and Communication System
will better serve the facility when it has more functionality.

Some of the important PACS software
features include workstation-independent user log-ins,
administrator-controlled work lists, and automatic notification of prior
exams.

A web-based image access is
another requirement for PACS, with a variety of image manipulation tools
and patient search tools.

Both lossless and lossy compression
of images should be offered. It should have GUI-based tools for patient
and hardware management, automatic fail-over of critical components, and a
UPS standard power backup.

If the PACS system fails,
there should be an automatic alert.

The database should
automatically be backed up at least once an hour .

These systems should be able
to interface with other hospital systems. A system should feature broker
less and bi-directional RIS interfacing, year 4 IHE, and report dictation
interfacing, and the supplier should guarantee uptime of at least 99%.

To facilitate future
additions to the network, all newly purchased equipment must be compatible
with the current version of the DICOM standard.

Facilities are encouraged to
ask DICOM conformance statements from suppliers. These should explain in
detail which information objects, service classes, and data encodings are
supported by their Image Analysis and Archives systems.

The fact that a system meets
the requirements of DICOM, does not guarantee that the data is indeed
stored in DICOM format. It is important to remember that when migrating
data to a new Image Analysis and Archives system.

Before purchasing a PACS system,
facilities should ask suppliers about the issues surrounding data
migration in the future.

Buyers should carefully plan
the installation of these Image Analysis and Archives systems. Sometimes
an entire room may be dedicated to hardware. They should consider airflow
and use of floor space and cabling.

To prevent hardware damage,
sprinklers for fire protection should be replaced by inert gas systems.

Additional equipment may be
needed to accommodate longer-distance signal connections for PACS. Adding
telephone modems or fiber optic lines, as well as any other special
equipment, may increase costs and pose design problems.